Carton with locking means for reclosable cover

ABSTRACT

A carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard or the like having a reclosable cover which is hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall panel of the carton proper or tray portion and provided with front and end apron panels, which, when the cover is closed, respectively overlap the front and end wall panels of the carton. Locking tabs cut from the front wall panel are hingedly connected to said panel along their upper edges, and their lower edges normally tend to protrude slightly outwardly from the face of said panel. Glue flaps, which secure the cover apron end panels to the inside of the cover front apron panel at the forward corners of the cover when the carton is erected, are provided with cut-out areas positioned for receiving and engaging the protruding edges of the locking tabs when the cover is in closed position. For gaining access to the closed carton, an upward pressure on the front apron panel of the cover causes an inward and upward force on the locking tabs, causing them to snap or cam out of the cut-outs of the glue flaps to release the locking engagement.

United States Patent Wolfe [72] Inventor: George H. Wolfe, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

[73] Assignee: Gulf States Paper Corporation,

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

[22] Filed: July 16, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 55,437

[52] US. Cl. ..229/45, 229/36, 206/4531 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 45/00, 865d 5/66 [58] Field of Search ..229/45, 44; 206/45.31, 36,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,741,418 4/1956 Van Rosen ..229/45 2,531,507 11/1950 Goodyear ..229/45 X 3,330,467 7/1967 Johnson; ..229/45 X 2,316,701 4/1943 Marshall ..206/45.31 X 2,692,722 10/1954 Johnson ..229/45 2,839,236 6/1958 Dunning ..229/45 2,854,182 9/1958 Dodd ..206/4531 X 2,961,144 11/1960 Anderson, Jr. ..229/45 2,365,739 12/1944 Williamson ..229/44 R 2,559,320 7/1951 Rushline et al ..229/43 CARTON WITH LOCKING MEANS FOR RECLOSABLE COVER [45] Aug. 15, 1972 Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead Attorney-Raphael Semmes ABSTRACT A carton formed from a single blank of foldable paperboard or the like having a reclosable cover which is hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall panel of the carton proper or tray portion and provided with front and end apron panels, which, when the cover is closed, respectively overlap the front and end wall panels of the carton. Locking tabs cut from the front wall panel are hingedly connected to said panel along their upper edges, and their lower edges normally tend to protrude slightly outwardly from the face of said panel. Glue flaps, which secure the cover apron end panels to the inside of the cover front apron panel at the forward corners of the cover when the carton is erected, are provided with cut-out areas posi tioned for receiving and engaging the protruding edges of the locking tabs when the cover is in closed position. For gaining access to the closed'carton, an upward pressure on the front apron panel of the cover causes an inward and upward force on the locking tabs, causing them to snap or cam out of the cut-outs of the glue flaps to release the locking engagement.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEEI 1 0F 2 PATENTEDAUG 15 1972 INVENTOR GEORGE H. WOLFE 29 52 F/GZ ATTORNEY PATENTEDMJGIS I972 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR GEORGE H. WOLFE ATTORNEY CARTON WITH LOCKING MEANS m RECLOSABLE COVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to paperboard cartons having reclosable hinged covers of the type used for packaging edible products, such as donuts, where the cover is frequently opened and reclosed in gaining access to the carton. With cartons of this type, especially those for packaging food items such as donuts, after the cover is initially opened, unless some means is provided for temporarily locking the cover in closed position,

unintentional opening frequently occurs which results in a loss of product moisture and also the accidental spilling of the carton contents.

It is therefore desirable to provide locking means for the cover which facilitate its easy opening and reclosing as products are removed from the carton and to securely relock the cover numerous times without tearing the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a carton of this character having locking tabs or detents cut from the front wall panel of the tray portion of the carton and hingedly connected thereto along their upper edges for engagement with cut-out areas of the end glue flaps of the cover portion apron panels, which secure the cover end apron panels to the inside of the cover front apron panel at the forward corners of the cover when the carton cover is closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover locking means which requires no additional blank areas in the overall carton blank.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a carton and locking means as above described which can be formed on conventional manufacturing equipment, requiring only minor alterations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the erected carton according to one form of the invention with the cover in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a single piece of paperboard or the like cut to form a blank for the carton;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view in perspective showing the relationship of the locking tab to the cover glue flap with the cover in partially raised position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the locking tab in engagement with the cut-out of the glue flap when the cover is closed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3, showing a modified form of locking means; and

FIG. 6 is an internal view of the modified glue flap of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the drawings, referring first to FIG. 2, the numeral 7 designates the blankproper cut to form the carton of the present invention. The blank comprises a bottom panel 8 for the tray portion of the carton which is connected along longitudinally extending parallel hinge lines 9 and 10 to front and rear tray wall panels 11 and 12, respectively. The bottom panel 8 is connected at hinge lines 13 to end flaps 14, which, as will later appear,- coact with end tray panels 15 and 16 of the front and rear wall panels 11 and 12, respectively, to form the end walls of the carton tray when the latter is erected. The end tray panels 15 and 16 are hingedly connected to the ends of panels 11 and 12 along continuations of the fold line 13 previously referred to, which connect the end flaps 14 to the bottom panel.

The cover for the carton tray is generally indicated by the numeral 17 and comprises a top panel 18 which is hingedly connected to the rear tray panel 12 along hinge line 19 which runs parallel with the hinge lines 9 and 10 previously referred to. Along the forward edge of the top panel 18 a front apron panel 20 is hingedly connected along hinge line 21, and each end of this top panel is provided with an end apron panel 22 which is hingedly connected along a further extension of hinge line 13, each of the end apron panels 22 being provided adjacent the front apron panel 20 with glue flaps 23 hingedly connected along extensions of hinge line 21, whereby, when the carton is erected, the end panels 22 may be secured to the inner surface of the front apron panel 20 at the corners thereof to retain the cover in assembled position.

In the form of the invention here illustrated, a window is formed by opening 24 in adjacent portions of the rear and top panels 12 and 18, respectively, which may be covered with a transparent sheet 25 glued at its extremities to the panels in well known manner. Also, any known type of tear strip 26 may be provided on the front apron panel 20 for releasibly securing the cover in closed position when it is initially packed.

Various conventional means for locking the tray end flaps l5 and 16 in overlying relation with respect to the bottom end flaps 14 may be employed. In the form of the invention here illustrated, each front wall end panel 15 is provided with an irregular cut line 27 which, when the end panel is folded inwardly, engages with a locking tab 28 on the corresponding rear panel end flap 16 which overlaps the end panel 15. Also, each end panel 15 is provided along its free top edge with two parallel cut lines 29 and 30 extending perpendicular to said free top edge for interlocking with a substantially T-shaped tab 31 cut in the corresponding end panel 16 of the rear tray panel 12. The operation of this feature will be referred to later on.

The essence of the present invention resides in the means for releasibly locking the carton cover in closed position. As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, adjacent the upper longitudinal edge of the front tray wall panel 11, locking tabs 32 are cut along one edge from the panel 11 and remain hingedly connected thereto at their bases by perforated lines 33. The free edges of the locking tabs may be cut in crescent shape or simply with converging ends as shown to provide what might be termed detents. In the manufacture of this blank, any suitable means may be added to the machine to pre-open the cuts forming the tabs and partially fold them outwardly along their perforated hinge lines 33, so that when the carton is finally assembled, the free edges of the tabs 32 are projected outwardly from the front face of the front panel 11, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The keeper elements for coacting with the locking tabs or detents 32 are provided by forming the glue flaps 23, which are hinged along hinge line 21, with cutout areas 34, which, when the carton cover is erected and the cover closed, are aligned to receive the protruding edges of the locking tabs 32, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Here, it will be seen that the protruding free edge of locking tab 32 engages the adjacent boundary of the glue flap cut-out area 34.

In erecting the blank shown in FIG. 2 to the form shown in FIG. 1, the front and rear wall panels 11 and 12 of the tray portion are respectively folded upwardly with respect to the bottom panel 8, along their hinge lines 9 and 10. The end flaps 14 of the bottom wall 8 are folded upwardly along hinge 13, and the front panel end flaps 15 are folded to overlie flaps 14, after which the rear end panels 16 are folded to overlie end flaps 15, as shown in FIG. 3. The locking cut-outs and cut lines of the end panels 15 and 16, which actually form no part of the present invention, are then interlocked as shown in FIG. 3 to retain the end walls in assembled position.

Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the top cover panel 18 is folded along its hinge line 19, and the cover end apron panels 22 are folded along their hinge lines 13. The glue flaps 23 are folded along their hinge lines 21 so that when the front apron panel is folded along its hinge line 21, it will overlie the glue flaps 23 which are then secured by suitable adhesive to the inner face of the front apron panel 20.

When the erected carton is filled with its product, the cover 17 is initially sealed by adhering the conventional tear strip 26 to the outer face of the front wall panel 11 of the carton so as to guard the contents against deterioration. In opening the carton, the tear strip 26 is removed, but the cover 17 remains in closed position due to the locking engagement of locking tabs 32 with the edge of the cut-out of the glue flap 23, as in FIG. 4. In order to release this latter locking device, upward pressure is applied to the front apron panel 20 of the cover, which, due to the engagement of the free edges of the locking tabs 32 with the keeper cut-outs 34 of the glue flaps 23, results in an upward and inward force on the locking tabs. This force causes the hinged locking tabs to snap out of their keeper cut-outs with a cam-like action which releases them from their locked condition. The cover can then be readily opened by hinging on its hinge line 19, and when it is reclosed, the locking tabs 32 re-engage the cut-outs of the glue flaps 23. Thus, the cover can be opened and closed numerous times and still retain the freshness of the contained product.

As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, instead of providing a cutout area such as 34 along the edge of glue tab 23, this glue tab may be provided within its boundaries with an elongated cut-out slot 340. As in the previously described form of the invention, this slot 34a is aligned to receive the protruding edge of the locking tab or detent 32 when the cover is in closed position so as to lock the cover. Here, also, the lock is releasible by applying upward pressure on the front apron panel of the cover, which causes the release of the locking tabs from their respective keeper slots 34a.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a readily operable locking means for hinged carton covers, which is particularly important in cartons of the type for containing food products which require frequent opening and closing in removing products from the carton. Also, one of the important features of the present invention resides in the fact that the entire carton, cover and coacting locking elements are formed from a single blank without requiring additional blank areas. In other words, the locking tabs are cut from the usual front wall of the carton, and the cut-out keeper areas for receiving the locking tabs or detents are provided entirely within the usual glue flaps 23.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. In a carton of paperboard or the like including a tray portion having hinged front, rear and end walls'and a cover portion having at least front and end hinged apron panels adapted to overlap the front and end walls of said tray portion when the cover portion is closed, said end apron panels being connected to said front apron panel by hinged glue flaps integral with one of said apron panels and overlapping the inner face of a right angularly adjacent apron panel, means for releasibly locking said cover portion in closed position, comprising at least one locking tab having one free edge cut from one wall of said tray portion and connected thereto at its base along a hinge line forming the upper edge of said locking tab and spaced from the upper edge of said one wall, said locking tab projecting outwardly from said hinge line at a small angle to protrude said free edge outwardly with respect to the outer face of said one tray wall, a cut-out area formed in one of said hinged cover apron panels, which, when said cover is closed, is aligned to receive the protruding free edge of said locking tab, acting as a keeper therefor, said locking tab being releasible from said cut-out area by applying upward pressure on the cover panel having said cut-out area, causing the locking tab to snap out of said cut-out area.

2. In a carton of paperboard or the like including a tray portion having hinged front, rear and end walls and a cover portion having at least front and end hinged apron panels adapted to overlap the front and end walls of said tray portion when the cover portion is closed, said end apron panels being connected to said front Y apron panel by hinged glue flaps integral with one of said apron panels and overlapping the inner face of a right angularly adjacent apron panel, means for releasibly locking said cover portion in closed position, comprising at least one locking tab having one free edge cut from one wall of said tray portion and connected thereto at its base along a hinge line forming the upper edge of said locking tab and spaced from the upper edge of said one wall, said locking tab projecting outwardly from said hinge line at a small angle to protrude said free edge outwardly with respect to the outer face of said one tray wall, at least one of said glue flaps having a cut-out area, which, when said cover is closed, is aligned to receive the protruding free edge of said locking tab, acting as a keeper therefor, said locking tab being releasible from said cut-out area by applying upward pressure on the cover apron panel to a 6 which said glue flap is adhered, causing the locking tab flaps. to snap out of said cut-out area 6. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rljhe mvemlon as clalmed F wherem all of cut-out areas are in the form of slots cut in said glue said hinged members are formed in a single blank. flaps 4. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said 5 glue flaps are hinged to said end apron panels and glued to said front apron panel.

5. The-invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cut-out areas are formed in the upper edges of said glue 7. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cover portion is hingedly connected to said tray portion along the rear wall of the latter. 

1. In a carton of paperboard or the like including a tray portion having hinged front, rear and end walls and a cover portion having at least front and end hinged apron panels adapted to overlap the front and end walls of said tray portion when the cover portion is closed, said end apron panels being connected to said front apron panel by hinged glue flaps integral with one of said apron panels and overlapping the inner face of a right angularly adjacent apron panel, means for releasibly locking said cover portion in closed position, comprising at least one locking tab having one free edge cut from one wall of said tray portion and connected thereto at its base along a hinge line forming the upper edge of said locking tab and spaced from the upper edge of said one wall, said locking tab projecting outwardly from said hinge line at a small angle to protrude said free edge outwardly with respect to the outer face of said one tray wall, a cut-out area formed in one of said hinged cover apron panels, which, when said cover is closed, is aligned to receive the protruding free edge of said locking tab, acting as a keeper therefor, said locking tab being releasible from said cut-out area by applying upward pressure on the cover panel having said cut-out area, causing the locking tab to snap out of said cut-out area.
 2. In a carton of paperboard or the like including a tray portion having hinged front, rear and end walls and a cover portion having at least front and end hinged apron panels adapted to overlap the front and end walls of said tray portion when the cover portion is closed, said end apron panels being connected to said front apron panel by hinged glue flaps integral with one of said apron panels and overlapping the inner face of a right angularly adjacent apron panel, means for releasibly locking said cover portion in closed position, comprising at least one locking tab having one free edge cut from one wall of said tray portion and connected thereto at its base along a hinge line forming the upper edge of said locking tab and spaced from the upper edge of said one wall, said locking tab projecting outwardly from said hinge line at a small angle to protrude said free edge outwardly with respect to the outer face of said one tray wall, at least one of said glue flaps having a cut-out area, which, when said cover is closed, is aligned to receive the protruding free edge of said locking tab, acting as a keeper therefor, said locking tab being releasible from said cut-out area by applying upward pressure on the cover apron panel to which said glue flap is adhered, causing the locking tab to snap out of said cut-out area.
 3. The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein all of said hinged members are formed in a single blank.
 4. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said glue flaps are hinged to said end apron panels and glued to said front apron panel.
 5. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cut-out areas are formed in the upper edges of said glue flaps.
 6. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cut-out areas are in the form of slots cut in said glue flaps.
 7. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cover portion is hingedly connected to said tray portion along the rear wall of the latter. 